Meet the Silver Lotus Family

A resident of Wauconda, it has been a dream to offer Yoga in our community. Presented with an amazing opportunity I am so grateful to host a new Yoga community. My appreciation to the teachers and students that have joined me on this journey.

 My Yoga journey began in my mid teens. Under the trees in a national forest, I first experienced the clarity, energy and unity the Yoga technologies create. The benefits of the Yoga technology are my motivation to share this ancient Science to all. A continuing journey it has been my quest to learn more techniques to share Yoga's benefits. I welcome students of all ages and encourage families to join in practice together. As I work to provide a holistic approach I received my Reiki master teacher certification. When I am not practicing Yoga I can be found at All Ways Healthy, which has provided me with many years education and support to my passion for health.  

 I hope you too will experience the benefits of Yoga and begin your journey at Silver Lotus.

I discovered yoga in the early 1980’s, became passionate about my practice in the mid to late 90’s and started teaching in 2003. In 2007 I received my 500 hour training at the Himalayan Yoga and Meditation Center in Palatine.

Having trained with Shirley Walter in the traditional Himalayan lineage of Lotus Yoga Centre, which was founded by Swami Rama with Shirley, I carried on the tradition of teaching and certifying teachers with the guidance of Shirley after she retired in 2010. Lotus Yoga Centre has been a home based studio for fourteen years where I taught ongoing yoga/meditation classes as well as spiritual study groups. In 2017 we sold our home and I started teaching at studio’s in the area, as well as leading the yoga teachers training program at Silver Lotus Studio in Wauconda and Yoga Bee’s 3 in McHenry. I currently also teach at Lake Barrington Shores.

Julie started her yoga journey 20 years ago, but decided to dive deeper into the many paths of yoga with Chenoa Lorenzo and Anita Maher in 2020, participating in and completing their 200 hr training.  Julie believes yoga is for every body. After being in several car accidents, yoga was one of the only things that helped her body and her mind heal from the trauma. 

Julie is also a certified holistic nutritionist and a personal trainer. Her background in alternative medicine and holistic nutrition add a beautiful layer to her teaching.  Through the combination of her training she imparts knowledge which helps deepen understanding of one's body.  She provides a safe space to stretch, heal, and grow stronger both physically and spiritually.

Julie started leading sound healings in 2022. She believes that sound healing has profound effects on the body. Every cell and every organ vibrates at its own frequency, and it is said that these healing instruments can have a beneficial impact on the body's physical and emotional well being. Julie believes that sound is one of the fastest ways to down regulate the nervous system and bring our body’s back to a place of peace and calm.  

My yoga journey truly began in 2016 when I attended prenatal yoga classes while pregnant with my first child. I quickly realized that yoga is more than just exercise for the body. Yoga helped me throughout my pregnancy and birth, in both body and mind. During the somewhat difficult birth of my first child, I found myself using tools and techniques I had learned from the prenatal classes. After that, I wanted to learn more about this wonderful new part of my life, so I signed up for yoga teacher training with Anita Maher at Lotus Yoga Centre and completed my 200YTT in 2019. I knew I wanted to share my love of the practice with other new and expecting mothers, so I went on to take 25hr prenatal teacher training with Dana Robinson at Sweet Feet Yoga. I practiced and taught pre/postnatal yoga throughout my second pregnancy, and now I am beyond excited to be teaching at Silver Lotus! When I'm not practicing yoga, I love to crochet, garden, explore, spend time with my family, and I'm an active member of The Kirk Players community theatre group. I reside in Wauconda, and am looking forward to connecting with others in this community.

Steve began his Yoga journey in 2008, looking for a different form of exercise in the 110 degree heat of Iraq. He began by teaching soldiers of several nations while there, often bringing Christian, Jewish, Muslim and even Atheist soldiers together in his classes. Later, in both Italy and Botswana, learning from other countries, he developed his own style of Yoga and continued to teach soldiers of those nations too, before returning to America. 

Steve practices Yoga in the tradition of TKV Deskichar, seeing Yoga as a transformational process that allows each of us to see who we really are and who we can be. Each pose lets us go beyond our old limits and re-create ourselves in every class.

From his background as an Army Medic, Steve sees Yoga as a healing tool, a tool of uncovering our deeper selves and using it as a way of moving past the past that holds us back. He teaches his own Warrior Poet style of Yoga now at the VA Hospital in North Chicago, working with Veterans from all branches, and also here at Silver Lotus Yoga Studio.

Stephanie Mattson (Subtly Stephanie Yoga) discovered her love of yoga in her early 20’s and realized her need for yoga in her late 30’s. Yoga has helped Stephanie realize her best self, allowing for deep healing, mindfulness, strength, and flexibility both on and off the mat. Stephanie feels Yoga is the one “thing” you can do that supports and benefits the WHOLE person, physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and THAT is her motivation!

Stephanie became a registered Certified Yoga Instructor (RYT200) through the Lotus Yoga Center in 2021. She feels that learning is never ending, and is always eager to learn and grow with each workshop, training, and experience with clients. Stephanie is grateful for the knowledge and personal growth she has gained and has enthusiastically jumped in to share the gift that is Yoga.

Stephanie outside of the studio is a mom of 2 teenagers, a substitute teacher, and a wife of 23+ years. She loves hanging out with family, snuggling with her fur babies, kayaking, cooking and eating, and time spent with her friends. She teaches her classes from an authentic place and holds an all inclusive, non judgemental space for her students to grow their whole selves, mind, body, and soul. Stephanie’s classes tend to be on the gentle side, allowing for plenty of practice expanding opportunities.

Come check out Stephanie’s workshops and classes offered at Silver Lotus. She can’t wait to meet you and have you join the Yoga Community

Ann is an integrative bodyworker, yoga instructor and a student of clinical herbalism with a certificate in Basic Herbalism for Bodyworkers from the Zen Shiatsu Institute. She has trained in multiple bodywork modalities, enabling her to address health issues from many angles. Her focus is on helping people build strong immune systems, resolve chronic health conditions, heal properly from injuries and safely manage side effects of medications. 

Ann aims to offer bodywork as one aspect of healing. She educates and encourages clients to explore, discover and embrace lifestyle behaviors that best serve their potential to be happy, healthy and whole.

Dalal is an Energy Medicine Practitioner that has been practicing since 2007.  She uses a variety of healing modalities and techniques in her session to fit the individual needs of her clients.  She is certified in Full Spectrum Healing, Reiki, IET, Angel healing and Jorei.  She is guided by her intuition and the energy of the client.  

"I believe that the body can heal itself from anything from emotional trauma to physical disabilities as long as you give your body and mind the space it needs to run the healing energy through it.  We  are so powerful but have forgotten the power we each hold within us.  Healing comes from the client, I just provide the space to allow it to happen,"  Dalal works a lot with Angel energy and the energy of our higher selves, our guides and the universal energy of love.

Patty Wisniewski received her YTT200 in February of 2020 from the Lotus Yoga Centre and started teaching soon afterwards.  

Patty discovered yoga after her last Ironman Triathlon.  Her body and her mind needed a break from long distance training.  She discovered yoga to be just as challenging, but in a gentler, kinder, centered and more mindful way.  She learned to listen to her body and connect her breath to her body.  

She also learned that yoga is not just about poses.  Yoga is a way of life.  It is not competitive.  She soon let go of what other yogis could do and learned to listen to her body and modify poses to fit her practice, wherever her practice leads her on any given day.  Yoga has given Patty strength and flexibility both on and off the mat.

Patty loves bringing a bit of playfulness and inspiration to her students.  She loves teaching beginners and gentle yoga classes, because she believes just about everyone can do yoga.  We just need to get out of our heads and listen to what our bodies are telling us.   She believes it is very important to let students know that it’s not so much about the pose itself.  It’s all about connecting your mind, body and breath to the pose.  It’s not about what your neighbor on the mat next to you is doing.  It’s about letting go of the preconceived notion of what we should be able to do or what we can’t do.  Patty learned that our yoga practice evolves by learning how to correctly get into a pose and learning to bring our breath to each and every pose.  

Patty loves yoga because she never knows what challenge her yoga practice will present itself to her on any particular day.  It could be balance, strength, getting out of her head, connecting to her breath, or anything.  Yoga taught Patty to just be mindful of it all and let it go and that some days are better than others, and that’s perfectly fine.

Patty believes yoga grounds us and inspires us to live each moment more mindfully.

I first came to yoga in 2010 while attending University. During my first class I cried, my wrists ached, and I felt incredibly uncomfortable - and I was hooked; I knew yoga would be an important part of my path. 

 I could not afford to practice regularly, so I became a Karma yogi - cleaning the studio floors and bathrooms in exchange for classes. I was energized by the community with the variety of teachers and classes, as well as the concentration on the history and spirituality of yoga, beyond the Asanas (physical postures). 

I decided to pursue my teaching certification in 2013 in hopes to spread yoga to every body, every where and be part of the movement to make yoga accessible to all. In 2014 I graduated from the Shanti Yoga Shala school of New Orleans, LA. 

I approach yoga holistically, with hopes to decrease the westernized appropriation while honoring the lineage and ancient teachings of yoga. 

In addition to teaching, I operate Starflower Wellness, a health centered business providing individualized and specialized products and services.  

I am most whole in nature, a lover of life,  and a passionate gardener. 

I look forward to sharing space and building community at Silver Lotus.

I began my yoga and Shamanic journey in 2014 when I was exposed to Shamanism for guidance and answers.  My yoga journey taught me the power of meditation, breathing exercises, and how yoga poses help move blocked energy.  Shortly after completion of my yoga certificate, I started learning Shamanism. I was astounded by the power having this special connection with Spirit.  I help provide this connection for individuals to become connected with Spirit.  If you are interested in learning more about Shamanism, please reach out for a Shamanic journey or intuitive awakening.